Hitler’s Parade Car Bought by Anonymous Buyer
One of few remaining cars created for Adolf Hitler has been sold and is hopefully off to a museum.
One of history’s most significant cars, Adolf Hitler’s
Mercedes-Benz 770K Grosser, was spotted in Medina, Washington earlier this month, according to the Seattle Times. The black, armor-plated menacing machine is worth approximately $7 million and is currently in transit to its new owner.
The one of five remaining Offener Tourenwagens was finally purchased after being put up for auction in January at a Worldwide Auctioneers event in Scottsdale, AZ. But the buyer remains a mystery. Only 88 of the 770Ks were produced.
The history of the 20-foot long limousine after its capture by American forces in 1945 is as interesting as its early years. It was put under the control and use of the U.S Army Military Police stationed in Le Havre, France and eventually made its way to the United States. It was donated to a local branch of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which used the car in parades. The Grosser was then retired, parked and forgotten in garage storage until 1976. Upon its rediscovery, it has appeared in several museums and displays since then including the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the Chicago Historical Antique Automobile Museum and the Canadian War Museum in Ottowa.
The residence of the Grosser’s new owner is also a bit of mystery; although it is known what country the new owner does not live in. The car’s final destination is not in the United States according to Rod Egan, one of the principals at Worldwide Auctioneers.
Ten percent of the vehicle’s auction proceeds will go to Holocaust education.
